Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-12-11
TON POTTEK'S BIG BLUFF.

TON POPFER'S Blu BLUFF.
The Ex.Manager of the Buriing.
tons Plays Ace High for All it is
Worth.
"Well I'm going to leave you" said
Thomos J. Potter, vice-president and
general manager Of the Union Pacific
railroad, to several railway officials in
the Palace hotel, San Francisco, one
afternoon not long ago.
Anything wrong, Tom ?" asked one
OF his friends.
"Well, yes; there is. 1 came out
here p ,rtlv ON business and partly to
meet j. G. Stubbs, but he is out of
town, and you cannot imagine how
greatly disappointed l am. Ii be would
be back in any reasonable time l would
stay"
III had little game night before
last and played even, but for the plst
year or two have had longing to
get even with Stuobs."
"Wouldn't revenge on some one
else satisfy you?" inquired north
western man.
mo, it's not revenge that want !;
it's the rubber on the heat played
with SJubbs. Have none OF you
heard Of the game We played at the
Transcontinental meeting held here
two years ago."
No" was the response from all,
including the curious Erami"er re-
porter.
"You didn't? That's strange.
though Sluobs would tell it to every
onr."
"He only told us how he did you
up" observed Southern Pacific Of
fetal.
"Did me up? Did Stubbs tell you
that? 1t would take better man
tnan Stubbs to do that" remarked
Mr.. Potter in tones of righteous in
dignation.
"I'll tell you how it was. When
the meeting adjourned, proposed to
Stubbs that We play game of draw
poker. Stubbs didn't like the idea Of
a two-handed game and suggested
that we extend an invitation to two
others. | was with the Burlington
road then, and just as Stubbs finished
speaking, Traffic Manager Kimball,
Of the union Pacific, came up, accom-
panied by the traffic manager OF the
Northern Pacific. These two agreed
to play if We would knock off the
limit, which was what Stubbs and
myself wanted.
''As We went up to my room Stubbs
winked at me, meaning We'll do 'em
up.
"Chips were two and q half. From
the fir.t Stubps showed an inclination
to b uff. He took several good pots
from me on pat hands that | don't
think were more than an ace high. !
lost about 800 tu him and was grow
ing angy y. | made up my mind to
win something on grand bluff.
"Kimball and Hannaford played
close, and the only way to get even
was to run against Stubs.
"Kimball dealt around at last and
Stubbs made it ten cases to play. |
had only ace high with king and
queen back of it. Now is my chance
to bluff thought, and 1 raised tne
c9mc-ip 6t!.. Kimball and Hanna
ford stayed out.
"Stubbs looked at me for time,
and then raised me hundred. saw
this raise and then discarded.
"'How many cards do you want?
Kim ball asked Stubbs.
"The latter blushe and said he did
not want any.
THAT blush decided me. knew
1t was another bluff, and / drew two
cards to my ace, king and queen.
"Stubbs bet hundred.
"I raised him hundred on an o
"Stubbs came back at me with
raise OF two hundred, and | raised
him back.
"Potter, l don't want TO rob you,'
he said, l have you beaten and you
had better lay down
His face was pale and his hand
was trembling, and so was bis voice
when he spoke.
81 laughed and said, not by d-d
sight = and | went back ut him with
another 0 L.
"For heavens sake, Potter, don't
get so rash,' he advised me. You're
beaten and why don't you lay down?
/ raise you two hundred
II thought probably he had some
thing | had not bettered my hand
and began to take the matter seriously.
81 looked at my hand again and
then called him.
1.-The devil you do! said Stubbs,
pale and frightened. 1 have only
are high, he said.
That's what have, said |.
as Then l have you beauten, said
Stubb, throwing his hand on the
table. / have king and queen next.
"'Don't be too certain OF that, said
/. Il have his majesty and lady
myself /
Like-you have said he, and
his flce once more whitened.
".rhat's what | have said /, and
here is a ten-spot and seven behind
that
"'Eor the Lords sake, have the
same IDENTICAL he said.
II have played poker for the past
.wenty wears, and | never saw two
lauds like that before. We played no